This beaded cuff bracelet consists of 24 rows of beads strung together with gold thread that form alternating bands of gold, lapis lazuli and carnelian. These testify to the place of the toilet in the life of the wealthy classes of the ancient Egyptian society. Similarly, both men and women have a strong taste for...
The gold pendant of Amenhotep III, found in the tomb of Tutankhamun, is a remarkable piece of jewelry that highlights the connections between these two pharaohs. This pendant, often featuring intricate designs and symbols associated with royalty and divinity, reflects the high level of craftsmanship typical of the 18th Dynasty. It is believed that the...
This winged scarab beetle amulet is made of electrum. The wings are not those of a beetle, but those of a bird, as is apparent by their shape and the indication of individual feathers. Winged scarabs, meant to guarantee the rebirth of the deceased, were very popular funerary amulets. A series of animals depicting deities...
The ceremonial axe of king Ahmose I, the founder of the 18th Dynasty. The axe celebrates the victories of the king. It is decorated with scenes of the king appearing in the form of a sphinx, Nekhbet as a vulture over lily as symbol of Upper Egypt, Wadjet as a rearing cobra over papyrus as...
This mummified falcon is covered with an intricate pattern of wrappings done in natural and dyed brown linen. The details of the face and head of the bird have been rendered in paint over a white gesso ground. The falcon was identified from the earliest times with the sun god Horus and the reigning king,...
Horus was the symbol of the king and his protector, on this pendant amulet he is shown wearing the Double Pschent Crown of Upper and Lower Egypt, the symbol of kingship. The falcon’s wings are folded, and he perches on a schematic version of the traditional block border motif. The pendant was formed of two...
This scarab amulet is made of gold, a metal strongly associated with the sun. The blue enamel symbolizes the life-giving waters of the Nile. Scarab amulets were frequently wound into a mummy’s bandages to protect the deceased and ensure rebirth. The ancient Egyptians understood the sun god to manifest himself in multiple forms, chiefly those...
“Perhaps surprisingly the most common career for women, after housewife and mother, was the priesthood, where women served deities, notably Hathor, with music and dance. Many would come to the temples of Hathor to have their dreams interpreted, or to seek divine inspiration. This is a wide ranging and revealing account told with authority and...
“One side of this ivory fragment wand carving depicts a figure of a crocodile with its tail curved below the head and body. The mouth, eyes, leg scales, and body ridges are carved in minute detail. With its eye open and jaws closed in alert pose it faces right toward the accompanying figures (now lost)....
This scene is unique in its nature. We never witnessed an heir or a successor performing the ritual of the Opening of the Mouth Ceremony on the deceased King. The scene from the north wall of the burial chamber in the Tomb of Tutankhamun shows the brown “freckling” of the paintings that may have resulted...
